Gauge for corn planters



Jan, 6. 1925.

P. O. HELLER GAUGE FOR CORN PLANTERS Filed May 4'. 1923 WiTNESSES ATTORN EY Patented .la

PERRY @SCAR- HELLER, 01' '.PRO'EHETSTO'WN, ILLNOIS.

Application tiled May Il, 1923.

T (f7/Z whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, Panni' HnLLnn, a citizen oit theI United Statesresiding` at Prophetstown, in the county et vWhiteside and State oflllinois, have invented new and useful improvements in Gauges 'tor CornPlanters. of which the 'lollrnving is a specilication.

Thisinventien relates to a gauge for corn. planters and the like. bymeans ot which the depth to which seed is covered may be regulated.

ln gauges heretofore used tor this purpose7 the object has been to limitthe depth to which the furrow opener penetrates the ground, and a'fterthe seed has been deposited, the furrow is closed in the usual manner.ln dill'erent localities, however1 and in ditlerent seasons, the amountof mois ture in the ground varies greatly and consequently it becomesnecessaryv in order to secure proper germination ot the seeth to depositit at different depths, while at the same time the depth at which itshould be covered depends upon dii'erent conditions rllhe object ot' thepresent invention o provide an adjustable attachment to limit the depthto which the seed is covered. ref gardless of the depth to which thetum-ow is opened. For example, the furrow may be opened to a depth ot'tour inches and the seed deposited at the iottorn thereof., wnile f haveinvented may the attachment which l be adj usted so as to remove aportion ot the earth from the furrow and limit the depth to which theseed is planted to two inches or to any other depth which may be deemedmost desirable ror successful germination et' the seed.

rlhe nature ot the invention and its de.- tails et construction will bebetter understood trom the following description. talren in connectionwith the accompanying drawing which illustrates the preferred 'Form o''the invention.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation ot the attachmentapplied to a corn planter of ordinary construction.

Fig. 2 is a plan view et the attachment.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation ot the same.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

The corn planter, as shown, is provided at its forward end with a runneror furrow opener 5, supported in the usual manner GAUGE EUR CORNPLANTERS.

Serial. No. 636,585.

from a beam 6 having a clevis T at its t'orward end Vith a plurality ot'openings 8, by means of which a suitable draft device may be adjustablyconnected so that the furrow opener will open the furrow to any desireddepth.

rlhe attachment which constitutes my invention includes a comparativelysmall beam having steel side plates 10 and 11 riveted to the sidesthereoic and extending forwardly and adapted to embrace the upper end otthe furrow opener 5 and to be clamped thereto by means or bolts 12. Aplurality et holes 13 are drilled through the plates 10 and 11, andcertain of these holes are spaced 'farther apart than others, wherebythe bolts 12 may be set at different distances apart, thereby adaptingthe beam to rest at ditiierent points along the shank of the turrowopener 5 which tapers upwardly. One position ot' the attachment is shownin full lines in Fig. 11 while another position is shown in dottedlines.

The side plates 10 and 11, at their rear ends, are turned laterally asshown at 141, and have a cross bar 15 secured thereto by means of bolts16 or the like. The outer ends of the cross bar 15 are bent rearwardlyas shown at 17, and are provided with a plurality of slots 18 to whichoppositely-disposed plow shares 19 may be adjustably secured by means ofbolts 20. rlhe lower part-s of the plow shares are held in suitablyspaced relation by a bracket 21 which may be connected with the beam bya suitable brace 22 and with the plow shares 19 by bolts 22a.

The beam 9 and the plow shares carried thereby may be adj usted bodilyon the shank of the furrowY opener 5, while the inclination of the plowshares may be adjusted by means et the bolts 2O connected with the slots18. lt will be observed that this con struction permits an outward andinward movement ot the tops ot the plow shares 1f) which, since thismovement is about bolts 22 as a pivot, causes an opposite movement etthe points of the shares to adjust them to Ylit planter runners ofdifferent thickness. The thickness of planter runners varies widely. andit is essential that the points ot the shares lit tightly against thesides` ot the ruimer to prevent dirt or trash passing therebetween.llVhen the corn or other seed is planted during a dry period, it isdesirable to plant the seed at a greater depth than usual in order thatsufficientmoisture may be obtained for proper germination. lt is not.,however, desirable to have the seed covered to so great a depth, sincewhen covered too deeply, it. will not come up evenly and in some caseswill not come up at all. ,hloreoven it is always desirable to have vtheSeed planted at a considerable depth below the normal surface of theground so that the roots will not be injured by cultivating and so thatthe roots will also be strong enough to sustain the stalks againststrong.-Y winds. The advantages of my invention, in permitting this deepplanting while at the same time removing a portion of the earthcompletely from the furrow so that the seed will not be covered toodeeply, will be ein vious from the loregoing description.

lt will be noted that the attachment herein described is simple in itsconstruction, in.- expensive to n'iamifacture, and is adapted to bereadily applied to any of the usual tygt-s of corn planters. While lhave shown and described the detailed construction of one form in whichthe principles of my invention ma7 be enibodied, this is merely,7 illtrative, and it is obvious that various inox., tications may be madetherein as longl as Such modifications mark no material dcparture fromthe salient. features of the iuvention as expressed in the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A gauge for planters, includirrt,r a beam, vertically adjustablemeans for securinpy the front end of the beam to the shank of a furrowopener, and a pair of oppositely disposed plow shares adjustably securedtheir upper ends to the rear end of the beam to permit the points ofsaid shares to engae the sides of furrow openers of varying thickness.

2. A gauge for planters, including` a beam. means for adjustablysecuring the front end of the beam to the shank of the furror. opener,a` pair of oppositely disposed plow shares secured to the rear end ofthe beam. and means for adjusting' the inclination of said plow shareswith respect to the beam.

An attachment for the furrow opener of a planter, comprising' a plowhaving; a

,ses

beam, forwardly projecting side plates socurcd to the beam, means forclamping the side plates to the shank of the furrow opener, said plowincluding oppositely disposed shares adapted to receive the rear portionof the opener between them, and means 5 for adjusting` the inclinationof the shares with respect to the beam.

ll. In a planter, the combination with a furrow opener, of a plowincluding .a beam with oppositehT disposed plow shares secured thereto,side plates secured to the beam and projecting ,forwardly on oppositesides of the shank of the furrow opener and secured thereto in such arelation that the plow is supported above the lower edge of the openerin position to remove a portion of the earth from the furrow, and toleave it at one side of the furrow.

ln a planter, the combination with a furrow opener, of a plow includingla beam with oppositely disposed plow shares sccured thereto, side platessecured to the beam and projecting` forwardly on opposite sides of theshank of the furrow opener, bolts for securing the side plates to theshank in various positions of vertical ad justinent, said plates having'series of holes for receivingl the bolts, so that the latte.' ma;7engage the edges of the furrow oponer in any of the adjusted posit-ions.

t? f planters, including'. a beam, means for securing the front end ofthe beam to the shank of the furrow openci, a pair of oppositelvdisposed plow shares at the rear end of the beam, a transve bracketmember connecting' intermedizfilc points of the plow shares, adownwardly.' inclined brace extending, from an intermediate point of thebeam vto said bracket member, and a cross bar secured transversely tothe rear end of the beam and adjustably conuected to the upper ends ofthe plow sha '13 for adjusting' 'the inclination of the latter withrespect to the beam.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing' as my own, I have heretoaliiXed my signature.

PERRY OSCAR HELLER.

